Can’t wrap my head around the fact that another year is about to call it quits – seriously, where did the time fly? But here we are, on the brink of a fresh start, ready to cozy up to the idea of leaving the old behind and welcoming The New Year with open arms.
Imagine it like a blank page, waiting for our doodles, dreams, and maybe a few coffee stains.
As I pen down this post, the poetic wisdom of Nida Fazli echoes in my mind:
धूप में निकलो,घटाओं में नहा कर देखो ज़िंदगी क्या है,किताबों को हटा कर देखो| -निदा फ़ाज़ली
The beauty of his poetic brilliance shines through in the simplicity of these lines, revealing a profound truth – that authentic growth often emerges from navigating the contrasting elements of joy and challenges.
Here’s to the thrill of a blank page, eagerly awaiting our Doodles, Dreams, and perhaps a few coffee stains – a canvas of endless possibilities!
Create List
Create a list – and No, I’m not talking about a shopping list. I mean, jot down all the important events that happened this year. Personally, I’ve found that making lists helps me figure out where to begin and prepares me for the new year.
List like
- Events that shaped who I am now.
- Moments that brought me immense joy.
- Times when I felt really down.
- Moments of growth and learning.
- Experiences I wish had played out differently.
- People who made my life better.
Write it down in your diary. Keeping a diary is a powerful tool for self-reflection and personal growth. I highly recommend taking a moment to jot down these thoughts and experiences.
By doing so, you’ll be able to gain valuable insights into your own life and make more informed decisions. So why not take a moment to write something in your diary? Trust me, it will be worth it.
Get Rid of Whatever is Leftover
Now, the next step is to get rid of whatever is left over. And no, I don’t mean tossing things in the trash. It’s about letting go of things that drain your mental and emotional energy.
- Cut off toxic relationships.
- Say goodbye to negative thoughts.
- Unfollow social media accounts that don’t add value.
- Ditch believes that don’t contribute to your well-being.
Letting go of everything is important to Prepare for the New Year.
Doing this isn’t a walk in the park. How about trying some meditation to make it less of a brain workout?
Embrace Change: A Journey to New Beginnings
Feeling stuck in the same old routine? It’s like being stuck in a loop, and that’s no fun. Changes act as a booster pack for evolution, and here’s the deal—no matter your age, it’s always a good time to start something new.
I am an old man and have known many troubles most of which never happened.
-Mark Twain
Embrace every change like it’s your ticket to an upgrade – don’t shy away! If you’re fed up with the same old déjà vu, it’s shouting for a change. Thinking about change can feel odd, but imagine it as the universe guiding you in the right direction.
Remember that every twist and turn gears you up for the next level. Don’t park yourself—dive into the enchantment of new beginnings!
Start Setting Goals for the New Year
Setting goals involves using words to mould your thoughts and actions. When you write, reflect, or imagine your goals, you’re conversing with your mind, saying, “This is what I wish to achieve.” It triggers a positive sequence of events, aligning elements in your favour to support your journey.
Grab a moment to jot down your short and long-term goals. It’s not just about what you want to achieve; include new habits, routines, and a mindset shift.
When you set goals, your brain quietly helps you achieve them because most of what we do, about 95%, is guided by our subconscious mind. It’s like your mind becomes an inner guide, leading you towards making your goals happen.
Oh, and sprinkle some vacation dreams into your goals! They’re like the secret sauce for keeping your mind all chill and happy.
This year was super busy, and we couldn’t take a vacation. It’s been tough for me, especially after September, when I started procrastinating and had to rush to finish my clients’ work on time. All of this has taken a toll on my mental well-being. I’ve realised that vacation is important for finding peace of mind.
Plan Your Year
Getting somewhere is tough when you have no idea where you’re going. Surprisingly, many of us don’t have a plan—we’re unsure where we’re headed or how to get there. It might seem like we’re super busy without a plan, but in reality, we’re just going in circles, dealing with problems, or running around in circles.
I really enjoy planning. When I jot down everything I want to do, even the small stuff, it feels like I can make it happen. I forget or focus on things if I don’t write them down.
Plan everything you want to do and achieve. Plan the person you aim to become in the upcoming year.
Choose the Guiding Word of The New Year
Have you ever encountered the concept of ‘choosing a guiding word for the New Year’? As the new year begins, it prompts a period of reflection and goal-setting. Many people make New Year resolutions, but another powerful approach is to choose a guiding word for the year.
A guiding word helps in focusing on your goals. It acts as a mantra or a motto, steering you back to what’s essential when distractions arise.
Find out how to choose your guiding word of the year right here.
Prepare to Start from Scratch
Now that you’ve started all this before the year wraps up, it’s time to mentally and emotionally prepare to welcome what comes next.
Each new year feels like an opportunity for a new start as if a magical doorway opens to a world where everyone can begin afresh.
It makes me believe I can transform myself into an improved and renewed version no matter what happened in the past year.
Wrap Up
Tackle these steps at your own pace; there’s no need to complete every single one.
Prioritize those that matter most to you, emphasizing areas in your life that require attention.
So, gear up for a fresh start! You’ve got the chance to make changes to enhance your life with small steps, and I’m confident you’ll be pleased with the results before the year ends.
Happy New Year!
Let me know, How will you prepare for a successful new year?
Image source: Unsplash
This post is part of The Year & You Blog Hop hosted by Swarnali Nath.
Anjali, your new year plans seem wonderful, especially the way you have shared your tips to plan the year. Thanks for sharing such nice tips to welcome the new year with planning and preparation. Thanks for participating in the blog hop, your presence makes it successful. Gratitude. Wishing you Happy New Year in advance.
Loved it Anjali. I relate to your thoughts to a great extent. I believe a lot in conversing with our mind. There is nothing in this world that we cannot achieve. We can always transform ourselves in a better and improved version of ourselves. Now, I am going to answer those 6 questions that you have mentioned in this post. Happy New Year in advance!!
Seriously, the year flew off so quickly. I liked your post on guiding words, hence will try to implement it along with these other points. Will set a goal & try to stick to it. Thanks for the inspiration.
As we stand on the cusp of 2023 and 2024, it is time to take stock of the highs and lows of the year, and look forward to the best in the next year. Sandy N Vyjay
Your suggestions for preparing for the new year are quite practical. It’s always helpful to have a checklist. Good reminders for wrapping up the year. Thanks for sharing these tips and have a great year ahead!
Loved, loved this post, Anjali. I think even if one can make the list, the way you suggested ad then lets go of everything in the second point, that itself will streamline life so much and sort life.
Love how simple and easy your steps are. I especially loved that line on doodles, scribbles and coffee stains. I have found intention setting as a cornerstone for achieving whatever I want.
I am all for making lists and setting goals. I find them great brain organisers, they give a structure to the thought process and also align with the more important things in life. You just navigate through the maze of life without getting stuck in it. More sensible planning to 2024!
Leave the baggage behind and start fresh in the year is the best we can do. Very well planned and helpful post.
Each new year comes with endless possibilities.
Lovely list, Anjali.
Agree with you that we need to break down the task into smaller doable tasks.
Yes, planning helps.
Love Nida Fazli’s quote. Here’s to a bright 2024!
Anjali, your post clearly states that you are a very disciplined person in life with well drafted plan for your progress in life. This is something which I really appreciate as it gives a clear visions about the priorities of life. With plans I add my dreams and try to achieve them in the coming days. Fresh planning without regreting for what happened in the past is what helps us to move ahead in life with positivity.
I wish you achieve more milestone in life and in 2024.
Much love ❤
Samata
This year is gonna be good for me, I am sure, but I never make list, because I have a routine that I follow every year, also this poetic verse was beautiful.
I love making lists too. To-do lists, pro con lists, you name it and I must’ve done it sometime or the other.
You’ve talked about such important things to heal, grow and accept oneself. I could totally find myself nodding and saying. “That’s true” or “I should do that” throughout the piece. Some lines really resonated with me. Like, “No matter your age, it’s always a good time to start something new” or “Vacation is important for finding peace of mind.”
Thanks for sharing this, Anjali. Wish you a great 2024
These are some very useful pointers, Anjali. Noting down everything from start to end helps monumentally in getting things going. Thank you for sharing your insight. Wishing you a power-packed year ahead! 🙂
Embrace change like it’s a ticket to an upgrade- love that!
One thing that I did in the first week of Jan is open my google calendar and write all the events and things I need to do so I don’t forget. I have always kept everything in my head. It feels good when I go and tick off the items on the calendar as DONE.
Such a lovely post !! I loved the line about doodles, scribbles and coffee stains. I follow few points that you have mentioned but you have beautifully shared few more practical points to make the coming new year more fruitful.
Adored it, Anjali. Your insights resonate with me deeply. I strongly value engaging with our thoughts. There’s nothing beyond our reach; we can continually evolve into enhanced versions of ourselves. Now, At 60 i am still learning something every single day
Very valid points. I so wish I am able to implement at least a couple of them, but the procrastinator in me has to cooperate. WHat I like best is to find a word for the year and then work from there rather than thinking of what the year meant to you in the end. That’s a new idea for me and worth working on. Thank you for the post…good luck to you too.
I am all for goal setting and lists. I did try to wing it a few years back and it was a disaster. Agree with the fact that it is as important to leave things that are not working for us in the outgoing year and we look forward to the new one. A physical cleanup and a mental cleanup too.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge about how to plan the year and making lists truly help us in shaping our journey ahead. I see you have already geared up and I wish you nothing but the best in this upcoming year. Lovely read!
What a wonderful way to check the list! Anjali to reconsider what is important to take in the new year and when it’s time to let go, whether it is habit, people, or thought. Best wishes for 2024.
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Loved how you suggested winding up the year 2023. It’s a good way to remember our gains and losses. The second list will keep us updated about what we plan to focus on next year. Wishing you a very happy and successful new year.
I liked your way of list-making to plan and reflect on what we’ve been able to or plan to achieve. Good way to introspect. I don’t maintain a diary regularly but guess it’s time to invest some time in it.
Lovely post Anjali. I am not a person who makes lists or maintains calendars for anything. Seems like it is high time to follow the tips you suggested in this post to avoid stress. Helpful post.
I am now somewhere in between lists and leaving open plans. Hope to have a broad direction to this year and then let things flow in between.